Political heat rises in Maharashtra as parties invoke ‘Aurangzeb’ and ‘Abdali’

Maharashtra Assembly polls heat up as leading ministers engage in war of words, sparking political tensions.

Ahead of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls, the political air in the State has already heated up with leading ministers engaging in a war of words. State legislative assembly polls are expected to be held in or before October 2024 to elect all 288 members.  

After Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief’s Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday in Thane while addressing party-workers made a strong remark saying that the people of Ayodhya has made BJP-mukt Ram and accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of bowing before the Central government in New Delhi. He also mentioned that the upcoming assembly poll is against the ones who hate Maharashtra’s growth and development. “My sainiks (party-workers) are my ‘wagh-nakh‘ (tiger-claw hand-held weapon said to be used by Shivaji to kill Bijapur sultanate general Afzal Khan in 1659. The weapon is currently on display at a museum in Satara), that is why I do not fear Abdali,” Mr. Thackeray said.  

Reacting to Mr. Thackeray’s strongly worded speech, Maharashtra Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) President Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said, “The leader of the Aurangzeb Fan Club, Janab Uddhav Thackeray went to Thane and created a lot of noise about making BJP-mukt Ram but let me tell you that it will not be possible for you even in this lifetime. People have not forgotten the green flags in Mr. Thackeray’s rallies. A group of Muslims have protested outside his residence ‘Matoshree‘ demanding why he is not supporting the Waqf Board when they voted in large numbers and helped in the election of nine members of his party to the Lok Sabha.”

Mr. Bawankule further accused Mr. Thackeray and wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “He left bhagwa (saffron) and distanced himself from the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Instead, he is carrying the palanquin of Aurangzeb’s successors. This is the beginning of your downfall. For personal gain, you forgot respected Balasaheb, the people of Maharashtra will not forgive you.” 

The exchange of heated words began when on July 21, Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked the Maha Vikas Aghadi by calling Sharad Pawar, the Godfather of corruption and Mr. Thackeray the leader of ‘Aurangzeb Fan Club’. To this Mr. Thackeray on August 3 called Mr. Shah the ‘heir of Ahmed Shah Abdali’, the founder of modern Afghanistan, who invaded India eight times between the period of 1748 and 1767 and led the Third Battle of Panipat against the Maratha Confederacy in 1761. 

After Mr. Thackeray’s speech in Thane on Saturday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers hurled coconuts and cow dung at Mr. Thackeray’s convoy to which the MNS workers justified saying that on Friday when MNS Chief Raj Thackeray was driving towards central Maharashtra, his car was pelted with betel nuts and tomatoes. Police have detained over 20 people in the case so far.  

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Sanjay Raut without naming anyone in specific said, “Abdali enjoys watching Marathis fighting with each other. These people have taken contracts from Ahmad Shah Abdali who sits in New Delhi and gives ‘supari’ (contract) to create lawlessness in Maharashtra. The party-workers need to understand that they are being used as pawns. This is not healthy for our State. I do not want to name any party, but I must say that they are trying to mislead people as the Vidhan Sabha elections are approaching in Maharashtra.”